Overgrown
by TetsuoTsubushi
Summary: {WA3} Plants are rare. People are rare. Put two together and you get a rare deadly disaster. That's what the group is up against.
1. Default Chapter

****

¡OVERGROWN!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN THE THREE GAMES. I WANT THE REVAMP OF THE FIRST COMING OUT. I HAVE THE ENTIRE SERIES. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO I OWN THE RIGHTS TO WA.

"To your left!" Jet roars. He lets off a few rounds of bullets into the deep corridor. "Listen, Virginia, run."

"What?"

"There's no end to them. You kill it; it comes back." Jet grimly notes. "Go to Clive. Gallows should be lying around back there too."

"What about you?" She worries grasping her guns tightly.

"Just go. This is my responsibility." He grits. "This enemy, only exists because of me. This enemy, is Filgaia's enemy, and that means it's mine."

"Look, I'm the leader. This is my job."

"I never really was part of the group. You ain't my leader." Jet explains. "So, you have no say in my actions."

"I'll go, but, be careful." She turns to leave.

He snatches her wrist. Silence. His eyes drilling into hers'. "Take care of the girl."

"Right." She replies with doubt.

"I mean, she has to die."

"What?" She screams.

"Just do it. I don't care what she says. Whether she has any part in this at all. She's still-"

"I won't kill her."

"I didn't think you could. Just go." He whirls around. His gun raised.

"Good luck."

"It's bad luck to say good luck." He comments and disappears into the dark of the ruins.

"Jet." Virginia turns and runs the opposite way.


	2. Chapter One

****

¡OVERGROWN!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN THE THREE GAMES. I WANT THE REVAMP OF THE FIRST COMING OUT. I HAVE THE ENTIRE SERIES. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO I OWN THE RIGHTS TO WA.

The Afternoon a half day before...

The blazing sun bore down upon the weary travelers. A sudden heat wave on the planet Filgaia has sent things out of whack. The sort of change that causes chickens to act as dogs, and dogs as chickens. The wanted drifters, led by Virginia, have had their shares of hardship throughout it all. The heat wave hinders their travel. Their horses had died and they had to eat them one night (much to the protest of the majority of the group, but they needed food). The heat made everything harder. Treks were harder. Longer. Until one day...

"Look it there!" Gallows nearly died in heavenly bliss.

"A town?" Clive questions as he pulls out his map. "I don't see one on my map."

"That map is four years old." Jet observes. "In less than a year a town could form if the people tried hard enough."

Virginia stares at the rather mild sized town. "Lets' go and we can find out about that later."

"This better not be a group-wide mirage." Jet grumbles.

"Howdy." The man on the edge of town announces. The heat does not seem to bother him much.

Jet scowls. Virginia moves to the front. Clive plots a good conversation while retaining his questions about the town. Gallows simply just looks to the sign and reads aloud, "El Dorado. The Dorado?"

"Looks like your elementary language skills are actually good for nothing." Jet comments.

"Shut up."

Virginia ignores the two. "We were wondering if there was an inn and a place to eat."

The man points to the largest building. "That be town hall/the inn."

"Thank you." Virginia makes her way for the building. The three men stay behinds. Gallows and Jet to bicker. Clive to hold a form of Spanish Inquisition on the man they met. She figures it's the perfect time to get a bath in anyway.

"Hey, look there!" Jet points away and in the process steals a bit of gella from Gallows.

Gallows was too distracted with the young woman who was trying to sell dying flowers to people. She seems between Jet's and his age. She has a dark green hair colour. She was fine. Thus engages his playboy side.

"Not selling much?"

The girl looks to him with a timid look. She hangs her head and shakes. "No, not at all."

"Don't worry, I'll buy some." He grins with a wide smile. Too bad he no longer had a bit of gella when he looks. "Ah, shit."

"Here you go." Jet takes some dead flowers and hands her some of the money. Gallows is a bit perplexed by the sudden kindness of Jet.

The woman smiles. "Thank you sir."

Jet cringes. "Call me Jet, or something. I'm no sir."

"Thank you Mr. Jet."

Jet glares at her. "I'm the same age as you. Just Jet."

"Right, I'm Thorn."

"Thorn?"

"Yes."

"Thanks for the flowers." Jet walks by Gallows. "Thanks for funding me." He slips the pouch into Gallows' hands. He made his way off swiftly.

Gallows was ready to spout steam. He realizes he's still with the girl though. He still has money. "I'd like some to."

"Thank you."

"I'm Gallows by the way." He grins.

"I'll be sure to remember the names of you and your friend." Thorn reassures.

"Do you want something to eat?" Gallows offers.

"Not really. I need to sell the leftover flowers." She still had a small number of flowers. "Thank you though. Maybe another time."

"You're pretty cute." He mumbles as he stares into her green eyes. Her skin fair and pale. She blushes and looks down to her flowers. "Uh, sorry. I probably shouldn't have said that."

"No, don't be." She continues her downward nervous stare. "I never get such comments. Thank you."

"No problem." He turns with a wave and smile. "I'll be in the inn eating if you decide to change your mind."

"Thank you." Thorn bows and returns to her trade.


	3. Chapter Two

****

¡OVERGROWN!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN THE THREE GAMES. I WANT THE REVAMP OF THE FIRST COMING OUT. I HAVE THE ENTIRE SERIES. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO I OWN THE RIGHTS TO WA.

****

A/N: Thank you for reviewing, Teefa85,and Hypes (I don't really know what a town hall/ inn really is. I wonder why I put it there in the first place now.).

The sun carefully sets at twilight. A refreshing welcome of night is made. As the orange hue of the sun paints the grounds. Jet and Virginia along with Clive come to the ruins just outside the town.

"There is a team of scientists above the ruins." Clive notes. He found out as much as he could.

"What are they looking for?" Virginia wonders.

"The same as the council of seven. Just not in the same way. They are looking to use plants to save our world. At the time I hear they are concentrating on making the growth of Heal Berries." Clive explains.

Jet stares up at the small camp the scientist must have made. "Why are we here?" He groans.

"I want a look see for myself of what's in these ruins." Clive mentions. "I heard that the key to the scientist's whole theory exists within here."

"Then what are we waiting for. Lets go!" Virginia exclaims and charges off without much thought.

Jet looks to Clive who shrugs in response and the two reluctantly follow.

"What's the point of this?" Jet grumbles. Two hours without any sign of anything. Not even a monster to fight. A really boring ruin. Clive was even losing steam as they went on. Nothing to interest the scientist in him at all.

"Wait," Virginia stops the two. "We've passed this same wall before. More than once too."

Jet groans. "Don't tell me we've been going around the same path for two hours!"

"Hmm, I wonder where the intersecting path is." Clive looks the corridors up and down. The faint orange glow of torches throughout places enough light for him to see. "Keep an eye out for any wall that seems out of place."

"Keep eye? You have the better set." Jet mumbles as he takes lead. He really did not want to be stuck back there with the other two and get caught in some conversation or theory he did not want to be in. "Ah!" Jet jumps into a wall frantically moving his left arm on his right until stopping.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah, I thought there was something on it." A bewildered Jet replies. It was just an itch. Just an itch.

"I wonder if the scientists have had similar troubles with the ruins." Clive interjects. "Maybe their project is taking long because they can find no sign of the actual ruins."

A sound. Two shadows ahead of them. "Clive, cover me." Jet draws his gun. He still had just enough bullets to take out two people.

"Hold on." Virginia worms her way beside him with her weapons drawn as well. She always had to take the initiative.

The wait seemed forever, but it was only less than a minute before the two figures rounded the corner. Maya and Todd. Jet lowered his gun and Virginia fired.

"What? Oh, it's you." Maya scoffs. "Bad aim."

"You should be lucky that I was so startled I missed." Virginia put away her guns.

"What are you three doing here?" Maya wonders. "Last I heard you were wanted."

"So, then catch us." Jet sternly replies.

"No, you're not worth the trouble, and besides, I'd probably need my full party and not just Todd and I." Maya returns. "Back to my question."

"Hey, we fired. You tell us why you're here." Virginia argues. "There's no treasure."

"Treasure is not the only valuable thing on this planet." Maya states in a sage-like manner. "You're here about the scientist's theory correct?" By Virginia's look she knew she was on the right track. "I've come for the same reason."

"Not to sound rude ma'am," Todd interjects. "It was my idea to come here and to look into this."

Maya stares at the afro-wearing samurai. "Does that really matter?"

"Not really."

"Hey, look." Virginia spoke up. "Obviously we're here after the same info so how about a truce."

Jet looks away. "No matter what the truce is still fragile."

Maya scoffs. "You think so little of my honor? I will accept that truce." A challenge was what she wanted to hear.

Virginia leans into Jet. "Thanks."

He glares aside. "I didn't do nothin'."

"Listen," Clive whispers. The clamor of the scientists rang out in the halls. "We better get out of here."

"There's no way out beside the one." Jet recalls. "And, there is only wall. No place to hide."

"They come from that way." Todd directs his sword to the path the people could be heard. "I doubt they will go both ways. We should go this way and beat them out."

"No, wait." Clive fixes his glasses. "Why would they come in if it was a circular path? They obviously know where the real ruins lie. We should go this way that Todd has mentioned, but we will not leave. Instead we watch."

The four others nod their heads in understanding. All of them move ahead quickly and watches carefully as four scientists' come to the wall they stood next to earlier.

The lead one speaks in a rage. "What are you thinking Botan?"

"I agree. Your theory is outrageous Dr. Botan." The second concurs.

"Why? You think it to be crazy?" Ryu Botan, a doctor of genetics and botany. An expert on each. "It is not, and I will show you it is possible."

"Even if possible, it is a horrible idea."

"You idiots!" Jet clutched his gun. Ever since he saw Botan, a man of usual appearance, he felt sick. The same sort when he thought something to be on him earlier. The man in his lab coat and thick glasses seemed the example of a scientist. Why did he give Jet a weird vibe?

"Looks like an argument." Clive whispers.

"Jet?" Virginia places her hand on his hand that held his weapon. He looks to her hand and withdraws both his gun and hand. As he returns to watching the three scientists Virginia stares at his head. Had his face always been so pale?

"You two will see the truth about this planet. What it hides. Soon enough, and when you see its' power you will die!" Ryu went on to say in a maniacal manner. Was it true that geniuses are always insane?

"That's enough Botan!" The lead scientist said. "Pack up and go home. We will no longer need you here."

Ryu stares at the man ready to strike. It seems like he even will, but instead he grins. "If you think so, but soon you will see how wrong you are." Ryu returns to the dank hall the three came from.

Silence is all they hear. Finally the two other scientists open a section in the wall previously hidden by an image of a wall placed before the opening.

"I thought there was a draft there." Clive mutters as the five drifters disband from behind the wall seeing that the two scientists went on into the ruins.

"What are we waiting for?" Maya wonders as no one seems to move. "Lets go knock them out and look at what they found."

"No, not yet. Later." Clive suggests. "You will wait right?"

"Fine." Maya groans with puffed cheeks. That really annoyed her keeping up truces. She just wanted to see what was worth seeing and be on her way.

"You okay Jet?" Virginia questions.

"Just fine." He grits.

"What were they talking about?" Todd wonders with Clive.

"That man was Ryu Botan." Clive confirms. "From what I understand he is," he looks aside. "WAS a part of this project. An expert on genetics, a relatively new science, and botany, a science not often studied."

"A man who is an expert on two such fields that study relatively unknown items." Todd replies. "Why work on such a hard study?"

"From what I also heard from my inside source he has a theory." Clive continues.

Maya recalls the fight. "The two said his theory was outrageous. What was it?"

"He had a theory that man could be like plants. That the two things were similar enough in some form that they were close to being of the same origins." Clive explains.

"In other words?" Jet returns with grief. His arm was itching a whole lot.

"He wanted to make a hybrid. A Chimera if you will. A being both plant and human."

"What? That's crazy!" Virginia flips.

"Who's to say that it is impossible?" Todd remarks.

"Exactly. It may sound crazy, but we can not really say if it is possible or not." Clive notices Jet scratching his right shoulder. "Something the matter Jet?"

"Just an itch."

"On the same arm that you said something was on?" Clive wonders.

"Yeah." Jet replies trailing off. Were the two connected?

"Let me see." Clive suggests as he comes to Jet.

"Whatever." Jet moves his clothes enough to show his shoulder blade. "What's there?"

"Green?"

"Green?" Jet wonders.

Clive inspects the green mark on Jet's arm. "What is it?" He pokes at it and a small vine comes out. "What the?"

"I don't like that 'what the?'." Jet looks at his arm. "What the Hell!"

"Calm down Jet." Clive holds Jet in place. "Lets get outside."

Nervous for once Jet humbly agrees as the five leave the ruins behind.


	4. Chapter Three

****

¡OVERGROWN!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN THE THREE GAMES. I WANT THE REVAMP OF THE FIRST COMING OUT. I HAVE THE ENTIRE SERIES. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO I OWN THE RIGHTS TO WA.

****

A/N: Thanks again for reviewing.****

"Any ideas yet?" Jet wonders as he lies on his temporary bed. He wished sometimes that he at least had a real bed to go home to. Everyone else did.

"Clive's still working on some broad idea." Virginia informs him. "Do you think this has anything to do with what you thought was on you?"

"I can't say." Jet looks out the window on the midnight moon. What was he going to do now that he was stuck with this plant in his arm? He wanted to rip it out, but Clive was against it. Clive was intent on discovering what it was, and not exactly what Jet himself felt about it.

"What was this?" Virginia shows him the wilted flowers he bought.

"Nothing. Just a favor."

"A favor?"

"Some girl, she was selling these without much luck."

He recalls. It was becoming hard to remember for some reason. Why was his strength low?

"Oh, some girl?" She wonders as her head lowers.

"Think her name, was Thorn." He has had expertise on this. He could control his breathing. Why it felt like he had just ran a mile is beyond him. "I don't really care. I just know that it's hard to live without any money."

"I'm sure it is."

Something was nagging at him. He did not mention it before, but this place was giving him a bad feeling ever since the moment they got here. "Virginia, what is it about this place?"

"You feel it too?"

"That it's, just messed up?"

"Exactly. Jet," She looks to his bare chest. Clive also urged that Jet not wear his shirt and all so they could monitor the growth on his arm. She looks to the green. "Are you scared?"

He grunts and covers the vine with his arm. "Am I ever?"

"I'd be scared. It's only the natural reaction to such a thing. Having something in you that's coming out."

"I've always been a bit scared, so over time I just learned to not deal with it." Jet mumbles. He did not want to say anything, but she had a way recently of getting information from him. "Things like this never happened to me before you and the others. I hate you all for that."

She frowns. "I'm sorry for that."

"Don't beat yourself up over it."

"I'm not!"

"You are. I think I know you by now. You wear your emotions on your sleeves."

"Do I really?"

His eyes grow and he jumps to his window. There goes his dinner. Right onto the afro of a certain samurai. As he finishes Virginia eases him back to normal by rubbing his back. That was horrible. Whatever this was, it sucked.

"Are you okay Jet?" Her concern explodes.

"Those scientists," He groans.

"What?"

"They did this."

"How? Spores?"

"No, their theory, it's working."

"I don't understand."

"I'm the Filgaia Sample." He passes out on the wooden floors.

"Jet?" She kneels to the floor and lifts his head into her lap. He was pale, and obviously sick. Something about the vine that grew in his shoulder has done this. But what he said, does it mean that the problem was not with him, but with the planet?

"Hey! What was that?" Todd shouts outside the window. "Do you know how long it takes to clean this hairdo of mine?" Raised fists will not get that junk out of your hair Todd.

"Did you just hear something?" Maya wonders as she looks to Clive.

"Don't think I did." Clive returns back to his thoughts. This new situation sure was going to take his mind for some time.

Maya herself just returns back to her drink at the bar. She really did not feel she needed to be involved with Jet and his dumb problems. She wanted the information, but, she only stayed still to see if Jet and that goal were connected.

"Clive?" Virginia sits beside the green-haired sniper.

"How's Jet?"

"That's what I wanted to talk about." She looks to the counter. "It's bad. He just passed out."

"Did he?" Clive looks to Maya who out of the corner of his eye he can tell is interested as well. "Symptoms?"

"He threw up. Looks pale. Nothing else different."

"Is that all? Seems normal enough."

"Normal enough?" Her brow furrows.

"Well, I mean, for an ailment." Clive assures. "Still, is it something as simple as a disease or that sort? It could possibly a parasite. A symbiotic organism. A good number of things."

"He, Jet mentioned something before he passed out."

"What was that?"

"He said, that the scientist's theory was working."

Clive stands at that with his hand to his chin. "I see. I will have to go see him now." He takes a step and turns to the two young women. "I suggest you rest. We'll be going back to the ruins soon enough."

"Right." Virginia nods. "Uh, Clive?"

"What is it?"

"Where's Gallows?" Silence. It had been awfully quiet for some time.

"Oh, so you're a drifter?" Thorn wonders.

"Yeah, you can say that." Gallows laid on his back-arms acting as pillows-while Thorn sat beside him. The two sat on a rock just outside town. A peaceful place. What was strange to Gallows was that evidence of any sort of monster was not present for some stretch either way of this town. He knows. He checked it last night.

"That must be fun."

"Er, well, not all the time."

"I bet you had a lot of adventures though."

"Of course. Tons."

"I'd like to have one."

"You've never left this town?"

"No, never."

"But, isn't this town new?" Gallows was a bit confused.

"Well, my father was here a long time before that. I'm seventeen after all."

Seventeen? He can work around that. "Your father?"

"Yes, my," She looks away. "My father." Her tone depressing.

"Something wrong?"

"Well, I said my father, but, he's, not."

"Not?"

"I'm adopted." She's nervous. It's in her tone.

"Who's your foster father?"

"A doctor here at the ruins. Ryu Botan."

"Thorn Botan? Not bad for a name."

She hugs herself and looks away with annoyance. "Please, don't, call me that okay."

"Yeah, sure."

"I need to get away from here." She confirms from nowhere. "That's why I sell those flowers as pathetic as they are. But, I can never make it with what I sell."

"Maybe, maybe you should come with us." Perfect. He could bring her along and maybe have her as his wife. They could settle down somewhere after his wanted level is lower. Too much dreams though.

"Maybe." She looks to the orange sky. "Will it be soon? Before my father will know? I need to get away now."

"Why?"

She looks away. "I, can't tell you."

"That's, okay I guess."

"Don't be offended. I just, don't want to say why."

"I'm not offended."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

"That meal, I'm up to it now."

Gallows likes that idea.


	5. Chapter Four

****

¡OVERGROWN!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN THE THREE GAMES. I WANT THE REVAMP OF THE FIRST COMING OUT. I HAVE THE ENTIRE SERIES. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO I OWN THE RIGHTS TO WA.

****

A/N: Let's break it down:

psychedelicaya: Thanks for the aplause. Though, he isn't very in character this time, or maybe he is, I'm not sure.

**JayJay-Sawada** : Let's hope for Todd's sake shampoo exists on Filgaia

**kioke678: **And you, I have nothing to respond to. I just didn't want you to be left out, so, yeah, I hope Jet gets better to. He would thank you for the concern if he was that nice.

****

Teefa85: Thorn's flowers? Nothing to do with his condition, but I like that. You were thinking and that makes me happy. I like it when the reader thinks. It is ironic Gallows is not really involved in anything yet that involves the plants. We'll have to fix that if we want to see him and his shotgun kick butt. I wonder what you get sick of on a desert planet anyway?

I'll be mentioning chimera a lot from here on out. Not as in the Greek chimera, but in Chemistry and Biology sense meaning compounded things and a being made of a mix of organs and such. Just a little heads up.

The morning came suddenly the next day. An all too quiet morning for what was known from the previous day. Jet's problem as well as the threats of Ryu to his colleagues. The fact that, Jet had said the theory worked. What Clive did not understand was what the theory was exactly, and whose theory was the one that worked. The scientists theory was that they could use existing plants and whatever was in the ruins to restore vegetation on the planet. Ryu's however had been that botanical beings and humans could be one and the same. Clive needed answers and so he set out just as soon as the sun rose over the mountains on the outskirts.

Virginia rested at the side of Jet's bed. Maya in her own bed. Todd, he was still busy washing his hair. Gallows passed out beside Thorn who simply watched the sun rise. Gallows had mentioned a meal to her, but he fell asleep sooner than later as the two had sat there that early morning. She was disappointed to say the least, but she didn't mind the Baskar priest leaning into her as she did into him.

Ryu Botan, now he, he was nowhere known. It could simply be said that he disappeared from the face of the planet after the argument with his fellow doctors and professors the day before. That was what worried Clive more than anything when he spoke to the man he had gained vast amounts of information from yesterday. That man apparently being the sheriff of the town and was often visiting the ruins to make sure the scientists were fine. The sheriff knew of the wanted status of the four drifters that Clive was a part of. He just did not care. He knew those four weren't trouble, at least not purposely.

One drop. Two drops. Four. Six, and then it became water. With one swift move Jet woke sending sweat flying and his left hand flew to his right shoulder. With one more quick tug he pulled the vine from his arm along with it's root and threw it to the floor. He watched it. Silently watching it. It was small. Yes, it became a bit smaller. Like it was regrouping itself and forming into a ball. It was becoming a ball. Jet moved slowly for his gun that hung by the chair near his bed. At that Virginia woke in a start.

"Jet?" He places his finger on her lips softly. His eyes narrowed.

"Don't move." He advises her. He throws his arm at his gun and directs it to the green ball on the floor. He watches it one more moment.

"What," She recalls his advice and closes her mouth. He was healthier. She was happy about that. She as well turned her attention to the plant on the floor. It still seemed a healthy green.

"Ryu Botan is an idiot." Jet ventures. At that the plant responds and forms into a small sort of plant-like animal equal to a squirrel in chimera plant sense. "Thought so." His grin flashed as did the slight light that came at the sound of his gun being fired.

Nothing. The plant keeled over. Virginia looked closer. "What was that?"

"The thing in my arm." He watches as the chimera twitches. Not the same sort Jet was used to when after death monsters still moved a bit. This was different. "Virginia!" He pulls her arm with a tug as the chimera regenerates itself and throws a vine arm out. Dutifully Jet takes it and tackles the thing to the ground. "Get your tindercrest."

She nods and pulls a card flinging it without hesitation at the beast. Jet let go as the fiery mass squirms and falls to the wood floors in ashes. "Good aim."

"Well, I aimed at your leg figuring I'd miss."

"What is your aim was right?"

"Lets not think about that now." She offers him as smile. She felt it was best to lighten the mood after such events like a plant-animal attacking you and your partner. If they were a group why did she think partner?

"I knew. I felt it. That was, yes, we have to find Clive." Jet was up on his feet at full strength and already placing his upper torso garments on. Finishing with his faithful scarf of course. "What's wrong?"

"You, well, you already want to get going? You just woke up from what I would call a horrible experience and you want to run off without even getting a bite?"

"Yes." A blank stare. "Get ready."

"No!" She settles herself from her embarrassing outburst. "I mean, I just spent the past twelve hours at least being worried about you. I didn't even eat dinner!"

"That's a stupid move on your part now lets get moving." He argues roughly.

"You don't even care just one bit." She silently fumes.

Jet hears her though. He was ready to-ironically-jet out the door and get to Clive wherever that guy was and then find that man, Botan. Instead, he shuts the door and sits back down on his bed. "Listen," he uncomfortably squirms, especially when she sits down beside him. She thought he was telling her to do that, but what did she know about the guy who doesn't emote. "We, don't have time Virginia. If this was an isolated thing, and I knew nothing was at stake, yeah, sure I'd stay here and make sure I was fine and you could be happy about that and we could eat some much deserved breakfast. But, it's not like that."

"I was, just selfish?" she asks.

"Of course." He squirms. "No, I mean, a bit, but it's understandable. You were worried about me. Fine. I don't care. But I'm fine now."

"Who isn't?" She knew he was not telling her why the situation was so dire all the sudden. He did not even bother to say what made him wake and do what he did.

"Botan, he said, he would teach those guys a lesson. What was in me, isn't the only one. I don't know how to explain it, but I heard this voice in my sleep. It told me a lot of things. But, I remember seeing that what was in me, was being grown in Filgaia. That since it was grown in Filgaia, it was also being grown in me, hence that thing." He points out the ashes. "He's going to kill all of the scientists with those thing. They've already matured enough to be set upon them."

"I see, I'm sorry. We have to go. You're right." She frantically gets her stuff ready.

"I'll get you something to eat while I wait for you. Will that make you happy?" He asks as he prepares to leave the room.

She nods and smiles. "Yes, we can eat on the way." Just as Jet was to leave she feels like a brick hit her. "Oh! Wake up Maya and Todd too. Never know what'll happen."

"That's a good leader." He remarks with a grin and leaves. Did Jet just really say that? Virginia was in a bit of disbelief. True, he has become more human since all that went one with Beatrice, but, really, a kind word that almost sounds of sarcastic joke at the same time?

Clive nimbly navigated the ruins. He didn't want to be found, and he didn't want to disturb anything. He was sure that the answer to everything existed in the place it began, and that for him was here. He was sure the problems begin here. He found the secret entrance that eluded him the last time. But, what he found was not what he wanted. Luckily for him, plants don't like certain chemicals, and he knew which ones.

A pile of swarming plant life moved in the center of the large room he found, and he noticed all too well the few that stopped when they noticed him as well. He had a few moments top-He didn't know how fast they could move. They all came for him and he took the chemicals from nearby and dropped them atop the swarming beasts save one who only got the fumes from the chemicals in his system wchich paralyzed it and basically left it living dead.

What Clive was not ready for was what lied in the middle of the floor where the plants had been. Plants not unlike what he thought was in Jet's arm. In the middle of the dimly lit room was a pile of clothing. Bones too in some places. Which meant that all leads on everything were gone except for Botan. But looking back, Clive figures Botan was the one tree he didn't want to bark up. The men who he threatened were dead. Death by a chimera. Botan's theory, was real.

Gallows woke up in a daze. Right in the lap of Thorn. She was enjoying the scenery still after being there about ten hours. He hadn't realized he was asleep and regretted missing out on time with her. But, he really didn't have to try anymore seeing that she decided to travel with him. Of course, how was he going to explain it without anyone thinking he's being a pervert again?

"You could've waken me?" He mumbled.

"You looked at peace. I didn't want to bother you."

"Thorn, are you sure you want to come with me and my friends when we leave here?" Gallows didn't want to take her away from her only home and all.

"I'm not staying where my fath-Ryu is. No way. I'm getting away from here before he," She looks away from him.

"Before he?"

"I don't have to say."

"No, tell me. I can help." He sits up with a determined look.

"He can make hybrid plant people. His first creation was a hybrid female, but, after that, he couldn't make one that he had wanted. He wanted to make a person that would be superior to current man. He could never recreate that one. And then, he was jaded."

"Jaded?"

"His dream changed. For the worst too. He didn't want to help men anymore, no, he wanted to kill them off, but first he needed more time. He can't recreate a humanoid plant, at least a perfect one, and so he can only use monster DNA and plants thusfar."

Gallows stares at her. He believes her somehow. It just sounded so loony and so true. "I see. But, why run?"

"What? What else can I do?"  
"You can help me stop them. I know if we team up with

my friends we can do it."

"It's, too risky. They are strong, and he does have those imperfect humanoid ones. They are warriors." A shadow came over them from above as Gallows scoffs.

"I'm not afraid of-okay I am." The object that shadows over them being a humanoid plant. A Venus Fly-trap that was altered with human genes.

"Brother." Thorn cursed as she watched him.

"Brother?" Gallows questions.

"We're not blood related." She assures him. "Venus, please."

The chimera, Venus, moves down gliding along multiple legs of green roots that were unattached to the ground. "Father. He tell me to get sister. Yes, you come." His arms stretches out and snares her own with it's vice like hand that was as the head of the very flower. Venus's humanish face blank. What was the point of being human without having the emotions to show?


	6. Chapter Five

****

¡OVERGROWN!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN THE THREE GAMES. I WANT THE REVAMP OF THE FIRST COMING OUT. I HAVE THE ENTIRE SERIES. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO I OWN THE RIGHTS TO WA.

****

A/N: I would like to challenge you to find out the connection with Jet's vine and the chimera Venus and the other little buggers.****

"Virginia." Jet and his fellow traveler came to a halt in the wasteland.

"What's up? I thought you were in a hurry."

"Forget it." He dropped to his butt. "We're too late. The scientists are dead, and I think we're just getting in over our heads. It's pointless to continue to the ruins. I know what we should do now, but you're the leader, so you should probably say it."

She stares at him in disbelief. She could not change his mind, and she was sure he was right anyway. "We, we have to regroup."

"Yeah, Maya was still asleep and Todd was mad at me so we couldn't get them to come along, but we still got here." Jet stood and stared into the area outside of town. "That was a mistake. We won't get by with just you and I."

"Jet makes a mistake?" She scoffs as she joins him.

"You've made bigger and worse ones." He remarks. "You were never much of a leader."

"What?"

"Eh, I mean, you've gotten better at it."

"What's that?" Virginia points out a small cloud of dust near to the town.

"I was trying to figure it out too. I think," He cringes before he finishes with a groan. "Another one."

"You have, another vine?"

He rips his shirt to find a second vine coming from the area between his ribs in front. "Virginia," He breathes. "I'm not, it hurts."

She nods realizing it must be bad if he actually mentioned it hurt. He was never one to do that. "I, I don't know what to do."

"Go!"

"I can't just leave you here!"

"I'll," He gasps. "Fine."

"You'll be fine?" He nods with tightly shut eyes. "I, I am going to find Clive. Stay here."

"Not going anywhere." He grunts as he lies on the ground.

"Don't, strain yourself." She runs off in a hurry as he lies withering in pain.

"Day just," He swallows hard. Does not help much when the vine is growing right next to your esophagus. "Gets better."

"Let go of her!" Gallows fires a round at the arm that binds Thorn. Although it was blown apart it merely returns to Venus's body. And Gallows, he just begins cursing. "Thorn. Run!"

She stares at him without any emotion. "I, be careful." She jumps up from the ground she fell to and sets off for town.

"Sister!" Venus lurches forward but is stopped by an elbow from Gallows.

"Stay put!" The roots. The roots Venus had for legs were not in the ground when he showed, but they were now. He had rooted himself to the land. "I, won't let you harm Thorn."

"Harm sister? No, no Venus couldn't. Venus would never." The chimera protested. "Father say, to return her to her home. She is Venus's sister! You can have her not!" His arms throw out at him without warning and Gallows can only block with his gun.

"Thorn is not your sister!"

"Father says she is. Thorn must be sister of Venus."

"Just, just shut it!" He fires off two rounds each entering the chimera's body. "You will not take Thorn back with you. She does not deserve to be subjected to the man who made you!"

The bullets are pushed out from Venus's body and drop with a small pat on the ground. The damaged area again restores itself. "Obstacle is for killing."

Gallows took in a breath realizing that he was out of his league. His arm did nothing to this thing, and his arcana would probably do about the same. He wished his friends were here with him now.

"Gallows!" Virginia fires off two rounds from each gun that Venus dodges easily. "What is that?"

"Virginia!" Venus whips his arms at both hitting the drifters to the dirt. "Just die!" Gallows moves to fire, but realizes that his arm is in the enemies hands...uh, things that are used as hands.

"He's fast." Virginia remarks as she stands with the same results. "What now?"

"Your arcana? It's the fire sort right?"

"Fire? That's how we killed the smaller one." She readies herself to attack. "Gallows, the thing has my mediums too."

"What?" Gallows spots under Venus the collection of both her and his mediums.

"It only knows, to kill." She remarks with a cringe.

Clive surveys the ruins that were now empty. All of everyone was dead. The small flower beasts as well. A pretty lonely place for Clive now had he stopped to think. No, Clive was intent on finding Ryu. That was the man who caused all the deaths here today. Clive figured that Dr. Botan was hiding amongst the ruins and there was no doubt that with luck he would stumble upon the man in time. He just had to recall the first ruin trip. How the area had been hidden from them. He became stone and searched only for air. He had felt the air coming from the wall that blocked the wall yesterday so that was how he planned to do so now. First though, he decided that if the plant chimera can be killed only through means such as fire and the like he would need a better weapon. So he settled in the labs and began work on a way to reverse the process of placing the monster DNA into the plants. Hopefully he could eradicate the abnormal part to the plants by using the dead corpses of the ones he had already killed.

"Gallows?" Virginia's breath became unsettled. They were merely waiting to be thrashed by Venus.

"I know."

"What should we try to do?"

"Just, think. You were always good at that."

"Stop talking! Venus no likes his prey to be so talky."

"You stop." Todd slashed apart the roots that kept Venus to the ground. He turns to the two drifters with a grin. "You should get your stuff and get out of here."

Gallows and Virginia move quickly to gather their stuff. "We're going to run?"

"I'm staying." Todd announces. "He is better suited my foe. You go help the girl with the green hair. She is back in town with,"

"You left her with Maya!" Gallows exclaims. "The corruption..."

"Jet, Jet needs our help too! He's back in the desert in pain!" Virginia shouts.

"Jet? Okay, Thorn will be fine with Maya." Gallows stalls when he can see the glance from behind Todd's glasses. "Better get Thorn and take her and Maya with us to get Jet and find stupid Clive."

"Clive's at the ruins." Todd mentions. "Shit, the thing's already back up."

Venus has sprouted new legs and glides along them as he gets ready to strike. "Hurry now," He turns to Venus and sends many waves of his blade out.

Jet gasps as the vines die and his body heals over where they were. As his body status became normal he took in a breath. What was going on with him? All he knew was that the creations that Ryu had made are affecting the planet, and that was hurting him.

He sat up and felt no relief. Something was still nagging at him. "You okay?"

"Yeah." He accepts Clive's hand as he stands upright with a small wobbliness to his legs. "What did you learn?"

"What happened to the vine?"

"I, ripped it out. It turned into this thing." Clive shows him one of the things that he killed back in the ruins. "Something like that. How'd you kill it?"

"Some chemicals I found near to it. You?"

"Virginia's tindercrest."

"Seems that these plants have the basic weaknesses of plants. How are they superior then?"

"Dunno."

"Here." He hands Jet a collection of rounds. "Use these instead on the things and it should disable their regenerative powers and kill it like any normal being. The larger the plant though, and the more mammal like they are, will decide from there. Small ones will just die, but big ones will merely return to their original form."

"You're fast with these." Jet remarks as he reloads his arm with the new ammunition.

"We have to gather the others and go back in the ruins. I'm sure that's where Botan is."

"If you think so." Jet laments.


	7. Chapter Six

****

¡OVERGROWN!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN THE THREE GAMES. I WANT THE REVAMP OF THE FIRST COMING OUT. I HAVE THE ENTIRE SERIES. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO I OWN THE RIGHTS TO WA.

****

A/N: This is short, sorry. I just didn't want to totally lose your attentions. I've been busy with graduation from HS so now I'm almost ready to get back on track, but, I'm trying to write a novel so I'll update as soon as I can. The answer to my last question on what was the source of Jet's vine is answered here. I recall someone being right…

Todd sends three strikes to Venus with his sword. Every attack was given and proven useless as Venus quickly regenerated every part damaged. Todd would lose only if he allowed himself to become tired at this rate. He had one idea left, and he was ready to use it.

"You are no warrior. You may think you are alive, but you are not. You may think you can be the new race that rules, but you are nothing except a flunky." Todd raises his sword. "You miss the most human of things, and so, you cannot be anything aside from a plant!" Todd pours a bottle of liquor over his blade. "Your only place is as ashes." With that he lit his sword aflame and waved it forward.

Venus felt a twinge of emotion he could not understand that told him to escape, but the way was blocked by Jet. He finally realized, what fear was. "Finish him." Jet gave.

"Venus, Venus will not have death." Venus rooted himself into the ground. At that moment Jet dropped his arm. At that moment Venus's strength returned and he hit Jet aside.

"I, why," Jet noticed the protruding vine from his left arm. "You? You did this?" He looks up to Venus. "No," He grabs his arm. "Your roots did." He blows away the roots that Venus had in the ground. With that the vine in his arm shriveled a bit and he ripped it out as he jumped to his feet. "Now use that blasted fire sword!"

Todd sends his sword through Venus at his torso and the chimera falls to the ground unable to reform. Todd continued his assault until the thrashing ablaze Venus fell to the ground in near nothing.

Jet glances to Todd. "C'mon, there's more to kill." Jet looks back. "Uh, are you gonna put that out?"

Todd blows out the fire on his sword, but due to the liquor it takes some time. "Whatever."

"Uh, your hair's looking better."

"I'll take that as a humble apology." Todd puts away his sword.

"Jet!" Virginia storms up. "You had me so worried!"

"Another vine?" Clive asks as he examines the discarded vine and corpse of Venus.

"When that thing rooted into the ground,"

"So that's how it happens?" Clive questions as he wanders off a bit in thought.

"Is that true Jet?" Virginia questions.

"We have more important things to do." Jet brushes her off as he joins Gallows and Thorn.

"Oh, it's Mr. Jet."

"Again, just Jet." Jet urges. "Uh, what's she doing here?"

Gallows looks into his eyes. "Back off."

"Oh, I see. Looks like," Gallows stops Jet with a punch to the head. "Pheh. Whatever."

"Where have you been?" Maya wonders as she stops beside Jet. "I've decided that I'd like ta' help you Jet."

"That was earlier when I asked you."

"Was it? I thought it was still open."

"Nuh-uh."

"Well, whatever. I'll help you anyway."

"Whatever."

Virginia looks on with slanted eyes. "Look,"

Clive turns back to them all. "Thorn, if I understand, you are somehow related to Botan. Do you know where his labs are?"

"Yes, I can, I mean, I'll show you." Thorn nodded enthusiastically.

"Here." Clive dispenses the special rounds he made for everyone. "These will kill any of the chimeras."

Everyone loaded them, and the group was on their way back for the ruins. One last time.


	8. Chapter Seven

**¡OVERGROWN!**

**DISCLAIMER:** I OWN THE THREE GAMES. I WANT THE REVAMP OF THE FIRST COMING OUT. I HAVE THE ENTIRE SERIES. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO I OWN THE RIGHTS TO WA.

**A/N: Sorry for another delay. I've been a playin' Skies of ****Arcadia****: Legends(A great game) and then there was Mega Man: The Anniversary Collection. Two Gamecube games that have been taking the life from me. Then there was the 'little walk' I was talked into going on, but then it lasted three days and 12 miles. I hope no ones lost interest in this. I think I can finish this story in ****two to three**** chapters so, lets see. **

****

                The stuffy air of the ruins made it warmer inside. The heat was bearable, but nothing comfortable to do anything in. It was too bad that sunset was a good time from now.

     The group entered in a near single file line. Clive was to the front followed by Virginia and Maya. Gallows and Thorn were next in the line as Jet fell behind them and Todd took the back at his insistence that it was for the better to have each end protected. To Thorn's directions they traversed the dungeon down an alternate path that was found only by pressing a hard to find switch. The path however took them already an hour into the ruins through many turns. If Clive was not also making a map as they traveled they would not be able to get back most likely since there was many alcoves that went nowhere, but looked like hallways in the dark.

     When they finally reached a room the group was to say the least relieved. Of course, this room was near empty.

     "Uh, this is about halfway to my home." Thorn added to everyone's dismay.

     "Lets make a plan." Jet offered. "Some of us stay here for support and the others go ahead."

     "A good suggestion." Clive acknowledged. "Virginia?" She nods. "Then who will go ahead?"

     "I'm going." Jet confirmed. Todd gave a glance that said the same.

     "As much as I'm interested with what's ahead, I think it to be best that I stay here and check the grounds. It's like we aren't even in the ruins anymore. I think there may be information on something whether it be what Botan has worked on or just basic stuff." Clive explained in a long-winded way.

     "Should we take in account that this may be a trap and Botan knows we're coming?" Jet remarks.

     Gallows glares at him. "What do you mean by that?"

     "Botan doesn't want us here. He may know we're here and are coming to him, and so he might try to kill us."

     "You know what I meant?"

     "You think I mean," Jet eyed Thorn. "I, didn't."

     Gallows scoffs and turns away. "I'm staying here then." Gallows roughly states.

     "Who cares?" Jet retorts, but only for show.

     "I, I think I should go on ahead." Thorn admits.

     "There's no real need. We don't need you know that I know where to find that bastard." Jet replies as he heads for the next corridor. "Let's go. I don't want to be tired when I finally get to him."

     Everyone did not really like how he was talking. Talking like he used to and being a jerk. But, they had to give him leeway considering they were not the ones who just had about three to four vines growing out of him within a day's time. So, Virginia, Todd, and Jet went on ahead while Clive, Maya, Thorn, and Gallows stayed behind.

     "I don't see what was his problem." Gallows mumbles after the others have left. "That kid has always been a snot-nosed punk."

     "You have to admit, that he's not exactly the same as he was when we first met." Clive replies as he inspects the carvings on the walls.

     "I don't know," Maya interjected. "He's always seemed about the same to me."

     "How do you have any place in this conversation? You're not exactly his teammate or best friend." Gallows shot back.

     "He's not a snot-nosed punk." Maya states calmly. "I can tell that much."

     "What? You got a crush on him or something?" Gallows scoffs.

     "I don't mix work and play."

     "Will you two stop with the teenage girl talk!" Clive shouts in annoyance. The two nod their heads.

     "He's a very nice person, Jet." Thorn mentions which causes Gallows to turn to her.

     "How can you say that too? He doesn't exactly like you all too much either!"

     Thorn stares at him. "I just do. I can tell, what sort of person he is. He sort of puts on a tough guy thing, but, he's probably the most fit of all of you to save the world or something." That brought grins to both Gallows and Clive. "No offense. He just seems more collected and all."

     "Just remember though Gallows." Clive draws away from his inspection of the area. "We're a team. We don't have to like each other all the time, but we're sure as heck gonna get the damn job done."

     "That's the only thing you've ever said that I've ever understood." Gallows admits.

     They all laugh. It's as if they weren't really sitting around in some dank, dark, stuffy, dirty, old ruin deep in some bowels of Filgaia.

     "So, know any good stories?" Virginia urges. The three of them had been walking a long while in silence. They kept on too even after she asked. Good company for her two guys who don't talk when not needed.

     "Virginia, be quiet." Jet advises.

     "You ca-" He silences her with a hand to her mouth.

     "We're getting close. No noise."

     Todd looks ahead. "I don't see an end. How can you say that?"

     The look on Jet's face would send chills to the spine. "That's the weird thing. I just do." He continues with unbroken stride. He stops and awaits the other two. "Shit, we better just run ahead."

     "What?"

     "He knows we're here." Jet calmly admits as he kicks a leaf aside. "We may as well run head first into the danger than bother to take time."

     Todd took up his sword. "After you."

     Jet drew his arm and dashes ahead as Todd and Virginia follow behind shortly. Jet jumps into the next secluded room to find nothing. There was just a dark cloud over the room. Finally it lifted as the other two showed in the room. Machines lined the walls of the room. Pod-like containers no doubt used to grow Botan's projects. Other things anyone who was not a scientist like Botan could not even begin to make sense of.

     "Where is he?" Virginia wondered.

     "Don't say that?"

     "Why not?"

     "Because it's typical of someone to show up right after you ask it." Jet replied. Too bad he was right.

     "So, you are the three who have been bothering me?" The clean cut man with the glasses and black hair in the lab coat appeared from a dark corner of the room. "No, not just you. I suppose there's more if Thorn is not with you." He goes on not really concerned with them. "No matter. I sent Stamen along that way. I have no doubt in his abilities. AS for you," HE looks back to them finally. Measuring them up as they can only stand with tighten nerves and muscles ready for anything he does. "I think Black Rose will be enough for you."

     "Black Rose?" Virginia mutters.

     "Father." From another part of the room comes a female hybrid based on a rose with black petals. "You wish that I kill them?"

     "Yes, but try not to make much of a mess in here." Botan opens a hidden passage along the wall and exits with the door closing behind him.

     "Black Rose," Jet gets her attention. "Do you wish that I die?"

     "If it lets me get away without being directly responsible."

     "Then, you must know, that I will not just do that for you, right?" Jet questions as Virginia and Todd just grow confused.

     "I, I had that feeling, yes."

     "If, if I were the one who was told to kill you, and I asked you to die, would you?"

     "No."

     "Why take Botan's orders? You're half human, and your will to live is as a human's, but you don't seem to have independence like a human. I know you believe you are superior to us, but, is taking orders from your, father what you will put up with? If you were superior to me, wouldn't you make your own choices?"

     Black Rose just stares at him. "To kill you, or not to, is a choice that I make. I don't like you. You who would mess with my mind like that."

     "So you will kill me?" Jet stands at attention with many holes in his defense. "I think, I know the latent defects in the majority of Botan's works. For one, the posses a built in program for aggression. Two, they are also programmed to take Botan's orders when given, and if they don't, tell me Black Rose, what is it you feel?"

     She forms a fist. "It hurts. My head. IF I want to go against anything he says. I, don't like, putting one life to an end. I hate it!"

     "But, you must if you want to live."

     "Yes."

     There's silence for a moment, and then both Jet and Black Rose move for one another in seconds. Thorns on her body shoot off at Jet who dodges and goes in closer.

     "Todd, go after Botan." Virginia states.

     "You coming too?" He wonders.

     "I gotta make sure Jet's fine." She simply states.

     "Right." Todd runs to the wall and exits into the passage Botan had went down.

     "I will tell the truth," Jet admits as he continues running in a circle around Black Rose who continues attacking in the same movement. "I hate what you are. You hybrids have caused me nothing but trouble from the start. Vines growing out of me and all." Jet hits her back with the butt of his gun. "But, in person like this, I will admit to you that I too, don't want to kill you."

     "Then, please stop moving and take my thorns." Black Rose pleads.

     "I told you. Humans do not want death. They will run from it at all costs. The thing is, that neither me or you are fully humans really." Jet pushes back as she moves as well.

     "You're not human? What do you mean?" Black Rose questions as she allows more thorn to go for Jet. Virginia meanwhile stands far aside behind a machine.

     "I'm, not exactly like them. I'm more of a clone and a sample of Filgaia." Jet stops his running and still yet the thorns miss. "Still, I'd rather be human in the end. And, I am. I am the same as the humans really. No different. You, you could have the same benefits that I have. To live with them without being one officially."

     "I think you and I both know I can't! Look at me for one thing. I look different, and you said it earlier, I'm programmed. I was born the way I am. My mind, was here before I even existed. I'm a product of genetics. Genetic engineering. Engineering. I think you know what that is."

     "I do." Jet remains still as the two have ceased combat. "I was made to be as I am. You see me, as I was thought to be, but, I no longer perform whatever I was made for. I have freedom. I can make my choices and decisions, and that means you should be capable of the same."

     "I'm sorry." Black Rose throws her arms out to Jet in an attempt to hold him still.

     He does not move and is caught. "No, I am." He fires his arm into her outstretched body.

     "Your weapon is of," she drops him to the ground. "What is this? I feel like, I'm burning on the inside." She falls back and onto the ground. "Why?" She shrieks in pain as she falls in a pile of her own roughage and when all is done there is a single rose bush with black petals.

     "She became what she is." Jet mutters as Virginia joins him.

     "Jet," Virginia silently mumbles as she goes to place her hand in his.

     He moves away from it. "We have to go."

     "Right, after Botan."

     "No."

     "Back then?"

     "He said Stamen. I'm pretty sure he meant another hybrid. Back towards the others." Jet puts another bullet into his arm. He runs down the path they came in at.

     "What about Todd?" She shouts as she catches up.

     "He'll be fine. Besides, he's only against some stupid scientist whose creations couldn't even beat us."


	9. Chapter Eight

**¡OVERGROWN!**

**DISCLAIMER:** I OWN THE THREE GAMES. I WANT THE REVAMP OF THE FIRST COMING OUT. I HAVE THE ENTIRE SERIES. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO I OWN THE RIGHTS TO WA.

**A/N: Here comes the downward slope I call the end. The last one is the next followed by an epilogue. So here's when all the big stuff will be once more set up for the next chapter where we'll see a whole lot of surprising things, some foreshadowed and some not. This chapter though is where the prologue will actually be added. This will probably be short, but it's meant to be so the next chapter isn't huge. So, let's start this thing. R R you know the drill.**

     Todd made his way down the narrow halls Botan had run down. It seemed endless, but still shorter than the path that they all took to get into this part of the ruins. By his careful calculations he had figured that the path he was taking was the quicker way into that secret part of the ruins that Thorn was never allowed to know about. Still, it probably comes out so far from the town though.

     Clive was placing a cap on a syringe filled with the antidote that would revert the hybrids to plants. He had made this one in case there was no more bullets tainted with the same. This one though, was more powerful. It was like the ones he put in his gun and actually kill the plant part of the hybrids, leaving the human parts alone. It would have no affect really on ones like Venus or the little ones called Flora. Those would still die. That was why he gave out the other bullets. Those would only revert the hybrid to a plant, his own bullets and what was in the syringe would kill all plant aspects.

     Gallows was sitting with Thorn. Inches from her face. He so badly wanted to kiss her cream skin. Her lips. Move his hand through her green hair. He did not though. He was going to be a gentleman this time. He actually wanted to date her after this was all done. She did commit to travel with him and the rest.

     Maya was daydreaming to say the least. Of what, not even she would let known. AS she came from it she noticed a shadow. Yes, there was something trying to sneak up on them. She grabbed her Arm and prepared to draw it. She looks to Thorn who soon notices what Maya did already.

     "Thorn," Maya whispers. "Go with Gallows. Get out."

     "Huh," Gallows is brought to attention by his name. "What's going on?"

     "Another, hybrid thing." Maya whispers. "Go ahead before he attacks. Clive and I can handle it. You have to protect her right?"

     Gallows nods and takes Thorn's hand. "We'll go the moment it all starts." Thorn nods.

     Maya flicks a pebble at Clive's skull. He turns and sees her ready to attack something. "Now would be a good time." He mentions and she turns and fires a few rounds into the direction she noticed the hybrid. That was also the cue for Gallows and he ran for the exit quickly with Thorn just behind him.

     From the shadows a hybrid attacked. His vine-like arms stretching out in all directions trying to grab either Maya or Clive.

     "Hold back on firing so much!" Clive orders. "There aren't many more bullets for your gun with the antidote on them."

     She nods and pulls back. "I always have my power to fall back on."

     "Here." Clive tosses her a book as the hybrid misses him. "It'll go well with those abilities you showed in battle before."

     The arms return to the hybrid who stands up once they withdraw. "Where is my sister? Tell me!"

     "I don't know. She ran away." Clive mutters as he fixes his glasses. "What are you?"

     "I'm Stamen, not a what, a who."

     "Really, a who?" Clive wonders. He was impressed they thought of themselves like that. "Maya, use your gift, and I'll divert his attention."

     "Are you sure it's a he?" Maya wonders.

     "Yeah." Clive looks back to Stamen. He didn't want to use his Arm. If the sniper used his Arm he'll use the bullets in it that he was not intent on using. Still, he was noticing that Stamen's body was too thick and had some bark that would prevent the bullets of Maya's gun to take affect. That's why he is resorting to her ability to become the character in that book.

     Jet and Virginia walked slowly down the hall. "It seems, longer than earlier…"Virginia admits.

     Jet stops. His ears were burning. "Do you hear that?"

     "Hear what?"

     He waits a second. No noise now. "Nothing. Must be weirding out on you."

     "When don't you?" She smiles.

     "Hey!" He shouts offended.

     "Jet, did you mean what you said back there? All of it?" Her face becomes serious.

     "When, I was fighting Black Rose?"

     "Yeah."

     "It doesn't matter. If it was or not, as long as I know,"

     "What you are inside?"

     "Yeah." It's quiet for a moment.

     "I saw something in you today, that I'm not sure if I ever saw before. Part of it was the mercy you gave Black Rose. How, you talked and you didn't want to fire so much. You're usually quick to the trigger in a fight."

     "It was a fight I knew I could win easily. I just, didn't want to win easy. So to avoid that I just didn't want to bother fighting. But, that girl was stubborn. She couldn't let it go and leave me alone, so I had to fight a waste of a battle." Jet bitterly said. He hated having to fight battles that had no point or significance. Waste of time.

     "Jet, I, want to tell you something." Virginia looks to her feet.

     "Go on." He stops for a moment.

     Only quiet. Neither speak for a moment. Nothing passes. She just looks to her feet and he looks at her, and then, he looks down too. Looking back up he moves slowly for her. "Jet?"

     Then he hears the noise. "Get behind me!" He moves behind him drawing his Arm and shooting off into the dark behind them. There was a whole lot of Flora coming from the lab. They must have had a time release that let them out now. Their only mission, to kill them.

     "What is it?"

     "Those little turds of a hybrid are coming all over again." Jet announces as she draws her Arm as well. Each of them fire off into the dark. Jet taking the right side of the hall and Virginia on the other. But there was more to the right so Virginia fired off that way as well. They had gotten all of the first wave, but they heard more. Then Jet saw one coming at Virginia that she had not. "To your left!" He roars. He lets off a few rounds into the Flora as well as the deep corridor. "Listen, Virginia, run."

     "What?"

     "There's no end to them. You kill it; it comes back." Jet grimly notes. "Go to Clive. Gallows should be lying around back there too."

     "What about you?" She worries grasping her guns tightly.

     "Just go. This is my responsibility." He grits. "This enemy, only exists because of me. This enemy, is Filgaia's enemy, and that means it's mine."

     "Look, I'm the leader. This is my job."

     "I never really was part of the group. You ain't my leader." Jet explains. "So, you have no say in my actions."

     "I'll go, but, be careful." She turns to leave.

     He snatches her wrist. Silence again. His eyes drilling into hers'. "Take care of the girl."

     "Right." She replies with doubt.

     "I mean, she has to die."

     "What?" She screams.

     "Just do it. I don't care what she says. Whether she has any part in this at all. She's still-"

     "I won't kill her. I won't kill Thorn."

     "I didn't think you could. Just go." He whirls around. His gun raised.

     "Good luck."

     "It's bad luck to say good luck." He comments and disappears into the dark of the ruins.

     "Jet." Virginia turns and runs the opposite way.

     "This is what you give me?" Maya wonders as she stands a near human torch throwing a comic book aside. "I'm made of fire!"

     "That was the point." Clive argues.

     "Whatever." She throws balls of fire at Stamen who dodges each one so the walls and floors just get scorched. "Damn! Stay still!" She keeps missing.

     "Concentrate." Clive advises.

     She snaps and sneers at him. "I am!" She throws one at his feet. "Now back off and shut up!" She throws more balls and still the same results. Stamen was one fast non-human.

     Stamen roots himself into the ground. "Fire does not scare me."

     "Well, it should!" Maya shouts as she gets ready to get him now that he could not move. Stamen opens his mouth and fires a stream of water at her extinguishing the flame and knocking her to the floor. "You didn't mention that!" She shouts intended for Clive.

     "Didn't know." Clive shrugs. He didn't want to use his gun and the two syringes he had. He did not have those two syringes anymore. Was there a hole in his pocket again? He'll have to talk to Catherine about that when he gets back home.

     "Brother." Thorn stood behind Stamen.

     "Sister. I have looked long for you."

     "I know."

     "You didn't come home."

     "I never will." She softly states. "Father, he is wrong. You should get to know that."

     "Sister?"

     Jet lie covered in Flora as the vine in his back stopped his assault earlier. Stupid mistake. He did not think this would happen again. When the vine grew from his back he lost his Arm, and any hope of finding it right now was hopeless. All he saw was the dark green of the Floras. Still, it was like they were trying to eat him, but they didn't have sharp enough teeth to get through his skin.

     He could only move his right arm. HE tried to hit them, and could not. He hit the ground in frustration. "I, I've always been alone it seems. I was meant to be alone. I work alone. I'm supposed to be alone. There is no one else like me, and that is just a declaration to the universe that I'm meant to live alone." His teeth clench. The bites were not hurting, but they were annoying. "I, should have asked for help. So many times. So many times. From Clive, Gallows. Even, even Virginia. I knew, I knew I'd get another vine like this. That I wouldn't be able to fight."

     And suddenly, he finds himself in the air. The hybrids thrown across the floor. "I'm dying." He mutters as he collapses. And, he hears something. The angels or Valkries calling to him.

     "Jet!" Virginia uses cremate on the remaining Flora as he pulls his body further away. "Are you okay?" She asks once seeing all the Flora were gone.

     "I, I told you, you stu," He winces. "Stupid girl to go back."

     "I can't leave you Jet. I'm the leader, I need the team together. I know Clive and the others will be fine, but, I'm worried about you. You're weak with these vines and all Jet."

     "I'm not weak!" She embraces him and he freezes.

     "Please, just listen to me. Don't, act like that." She silently pleads.

     "Virginia?"

     "I," She looks up to the ceiling. "Even if you feel alone Jet, please, just remember that I'm always here for you. If you, really do need the help, you won't even have to ask for it. I'm sure, that even the others agree too." She loosens the hug to lean back and see his face. "We're, all like one big family Jet. This team."

     He remains quiet. "That's what I'm afraid of." He stands and breaks from her fully, but falls in pain. The vine remains.

     Virginia is there. At his side. Just as he falls she was there. "Do you need help?"

     "Y, yes."

     "Sister Thorn, how can you say such things about our father."

     "Shut up!" She shouts. "He's, he's no father to me. No, not in the longest time. He hasn't been a father. Not in a long time. He just likes to have the title." She argues.

     "Sister?"

     "I'm not your sister! We barely even share the same blood." She throws her fist forward hitting his chest.

     "Sister…" Clive looked on intensely as Stamen fell to the floor and slowly became a shrub. He looks to Thorn's hand, and sees a syringe.

     She collapses to her knees in tears. Gallows enters in a startle. "Thorn you-" He sees her and her brother. "What happened?" He demands.

     "She, killed him." Clive mutters.

     Gallows slowly moves for Thorn. "Thorn? Are, are you okay?"

     She looks to him with teary eyes and jumps into his welcoming arms to cry into his chest.

     "Virginia," Jet stands as he removes the wilting vine. "What do, do you think this means?"

     "Either, they killed it, or it's just not planted in the ground." She mumbles as her eyes goes to the path ahead of them. "It means we should hurry."

     "Right." He stands tall and straight.


	10. Chapter Nine

**¡OVERGROWN!**

**DISCLAIMER:** I OWN THE THREE GAMES. I WANT THE REVAMP OF THE FIRST COMING OUT. I HAVE THE ENTIRE SERIES. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO I OWN THE RIGHTS TO WA.

**A/N: Okay, here we go, the end. Well, there will be a chapter after this, but that's not as important as this one. I can't say anything else, just review.**

     "Clive!" Virginia burst into the room with Arms drawn and Jet right behind in the same pose. There was no danger like they would have thought. Just Maya sitting off to the side bandaging her forearm. Clive sitting off to the other quietly waiting with arms folded. In the center was Gallows with Thorn who was just sleeping. In front of those two a fading piles of brown plant.

     "Wake her up." Jet simply says as he storms through the room.

     "What?" Gallows nearly shouts. "She's been through a lot. I don't think she's ready to put up with your crap."

     "She better be." Jet grimly notes. "I have one very important question for her. That's all, and then she can do whatever she wants as long as it does not affect anything that interests me."

     "I sho-"

     "Just do it Gallows." Clive stands. "One question won't hurt her."

     Gallows sighs. "Fine." He gently shakes her until she quietly stirs.

     "Gallows?"

     "Go and ask her Jet." Gallows offensively says as he moves away from her a bit. Jet scans the halls that got the whole group to the room and turns back.

     "Thorn?"

     "Do, you want something, Jet?" She mumbles. Her brother, was still there.

     "Yes, but, you probably know what I'm going to ask you."

     "I, I've been ready to answer it since the moment we met."

     "Yeah, when I bought the flowers."

     "With my money!" Gallows added. He was ignored by the two.

     "Where's Todd?" Maya questioned.

     "Hounding Botan." Virginia replies.

     "Stop!" Todd caught up with the aforementioned scientist. Blocking the path of Botan as they entered the desert.

     Botan laughed. "I'm not afraid of you."

     "You should be."

     "You are weak. Why should I fear someone who's weak?"

     "Weak?" Todd threw Botan aside. "How's that for weak?"

     Botan merely stood back up. "As I said, weak." He laughs again.

     "Why are you laughing? Is something funny about this?"

     "You don't get it, do you?"

     Todd griped his sword. "With this, I'm capable of striking you down here and now."

     "No, no you can't." Botan laughs again.

     "You may be right, but…" Todd moves like the wind and swings his sword, but, Botan is no longer where he should be. No, he had jumped up and landed on the tip of the sword. Todd was strong it seemed. "So what? You know martial arts or something?"

     "Maybe." Ryu kicks Todd on the forehead sending Todd sprawling on the sand. "I hold true strength."

     Todd raises himself and spits sand to the side. "You, don't know what strength is."

     "Is that your own foolish belief?" Botan is able to kick Todd's sword away and take it as his own.

     "You may be, a good scientist, but you could never break my sword."

     Ryu smirks. "You don't like this, I hope." With that Botan strikes the sword breaking it into four. That was the perfect moment for Todd who charged forward and hit Ryu in the face with his elbow sending him to the ground. Botan jumps to his feet and swings what was left of Todd's sword at Todd himself. Todd blocks it with his coat that he took off and caught the sword in and tosses them both aside.

     "We need no such things to fight." Botan quipped.

     Todd burned with fury. His sword, was gone to him now. All due to the man before him. "Don't take tis wrong, but, I'd like to end this swiftly." Todd sent a powerful punch to Ryu's face sending the scientist across the ground a good distance. "Now then, what do I do with you?"

     "I told you, you were foolish." Botan grinned as he lied on the ground.

     Todd stood dazed. "How can, a simple scientist withstand every one of my attacks…unless."

     "I'm not just a man of science?" Ryu stood with a cackle. That was beginning to get on Todd's nerves.

     "You're not just the creator of the hybrids, no, you made yourself a creation as well." Todd stumbles back. He could not believe, how insane and mad Botan really was.

     "I was too weak as a simple scientist to let my ambitions become real." Botan smirks. "Now, I will take my leave. I have plans for Geranium." With that Botan took the air in a jump that put him a good sixty feet from Todd, and still going. Todd sank to the sands.

     He punched them. "Damn. Like I ever had a chance."

     "Thorn," Jet glares at the girl. "You are Botan's daughter. His real daughter."

     "Yes, in manner of speaking." She admits. Gallows looks on betrayed.

     "You're, a hybrid yourself." Jet concludes.

     "Yes, the first." She admits. "The very first. Ryu has been unable to make a perfect hybrid since my creation. There's a reason to that, that I never told him."

     "What was it?" Clive wonders.

     "He, after awhile after making me. Raising me, because, I was like any of you. I was born a baby. Born from a thorn bush." She scoffs. "Thorn…" She looks to the floor. "I went through infancy. Toddler years. Everything. And, I'm the original perfect creation. The one Botan had wanted when he started. One that looks like a human. Who could adapt and live better than a human. Who is, supposed to be superior to the human body. I'm supposed to be." She closes her eyes. "I'm not."

     "Thorn…" Gallows mutters. He was confused. What he knew, was not what was real.

     "The reason." Clive mentions.

     "Right," she looks at them all. "The reason that his works were no longer like me, was not because his ambition changed. When he made me, he needed the right human genetics. To mix humans with plants. Who do you think that human was?"

     "So, you really are his blood daughter then?" Clive questions to be answered with a nod. "Does this mean, that the others,"

     "They were different, because his blood was different." She announces. "He's,

     Todd stumbles into the room without breath. Everyone just stares at him. "He's not, human. Not enough." He mutters.

     Everyone stiffens. Thorn confirms it, "Yes, he's a hybrid too, of a different sort. While my brothers and sister started as plants really, he started as human."

     "So, the reason, the other three were changed was because he no longer could get the right percentage of human DNA and all. Just enough to make them live and think."

     "No," Jet mutters. "They were human enough in spirit."

     "He's getting away." Todd mentions. "He was, running for Geranium."

     Everyone who was not up stood. "We have to go." Virginia announced to get a collective agreement and they all left, except Gallows and Thorn.

     "Gallows?"

     He looks softly to her. "You, could have told me."

     "I'm thinking, I should have."

     "It doesn't matter." He stands straight and strong. "I still love you." HE moves for the exit, but notices she has not. "Thorn?"

     "L-love?"

     "Yeah,"

     She runs to him and wraps her arms tightly. "How, can,"

     "I just, do." He mutters.

     "You really do, love me?"

     Jet rushes and whaps Gallows in the head. "There's time for that later jerk! We gotta fly." With that Jet ran out.

     "Gallows?" Thorn looked on as Gallows formed a fist.

     "You punk! You ruined a great moment!" Gallows with Thorn's hand in his runs after the silver-haired one.

     Light. It seemed like a fantasy, but they reached the end of the ruin tunnels and found their way out. And just as they did they were met with something else…

     "Do you hear something?" Maya wondered as a rumbling sound was heard.

     "Everyone, wait!" Virginia yelled as everyone stopped. Gallows caught up and threw Jet a glare. "Look, I'm the leader," She looks to Maya. "For the most of you. I, need to do something, right? Before we get out there?"

     "What do you think we should do? Against him?" Jet questions. The one no one thought would ask it first.

     "Well, what do we have?"

     "I'm low on ammo." Jet announced. "Won't be good on him, but I have my runes."

     "Yeah, but only my fire ones would even do anything." Virginia let by.

     "Runes?" Thorn mentioned. "You mean, guardian runes?"

     Gallows smirks. "Yep."

     "They don't work on him." Thorn mentions. Everyone moans. "He thought ahead, about guardians and all, and devised a way to get around it."

     "Then why did my powers work on the Flora?" Virginia asks.

     "The Flora were incapable of having enough power. He did. He does." Thorn announces.

     "Okay, so we're relying on the ammo you made Clive." Virginia grimaces.

     "But, it may not work." Clive says to everyone's dismay. "It may not be enough, and I only have four bullets that have the stronger stuff. The rest was in the two syringe that I lost." He looks to Thorn.

     "I only, had, that one." She murmurs.

     "Don't worry." Todd announces. "We all just have to distract the guy until Clive gets a good shot in."

     "Okay, we all understand that?" Virginia confidently replies. Everyone nods except Maya. "Uh, what's wrong?"

     "Vine!" She ducks into the corridor as everyone else does as a huge vine causes the entrance to collapse. After the rubble had cleared everyone stood and got free from the ruins only to see what had hit them.

     There just thirty feet from Geranium was a huge bush of plant made of vines and leafs. At the near top was a huge flower, four ragged petals pink in color and spotted yellow. In the center the face of the scientist they had all come to hate.

     "That's, him…" Gallows gulps.

     "Uh, I didn't know about that." Thorn shies away.

     "Okay, um, leader, what now?" Gallows wonders.

     "We, we can't let Geranium be squashed." She wipes away a bead of sweat. Griping her Arms she moves ahead. "We have to try whatever we can. Clive, and Gallows have all of their ammo. Maya?"

     "I don't think I've wasted that much." She looks at her Arm.

     "Gallows and Maya need to go see if the bullets will do anything to him. I'm, I'll try my Tindercrest. If you fail with your ammo Gallows, use your Freeze doll and heal anyone who's being beaten." Virginia ordered.

     "Virginia." Thorn came alongside of her. "What can I do? I need, to help. I was created, to help humans."

     "What, can you do?"

     "I, can't do anything my siblings can, but, I have a high endurance, and, I can at least regenerate any appendage aside from my head." Thorn replies in a hurry.

     "Can you, take on one of those vines, full force?" Jet questions.

     "I don't know, maybe."

     "Protect Gallows and Maya." Jet responds. "I'll guard Clive in the meantime while he gets a good shot in."

     Todd stood quietly. "I, will leave." Everyone looked at him. "I, have nothing to offer, this moment. Let me go into the town. I will warn them, and try to come back with something that will aid you."

     Virginia stared at him. "Go, but hurry."

     Todd nods and runs off for Geranium. Everyone looks to Botan. Following everyone went to work, but Virginia took a breath first. Jet looks to her. "You're, doing good." He admits. "You really, don't have to do anything more now. Just keep up that attitude. Confidence and pride are a virtue for those under the leader. We need the support of a strong leader." He runs off with Clive to a cliff nearby.

     Clive looks to Jet with a smirk. "What was that for?"

     "What was what?" Jet looks away to Botan. "She, needed it."

     "You don't usually answer stupid questions like that." Clive chuckles as he aims for Botan. "Do you think hitting his face would do anything?"

     "No." Jet replies. "He would have thought of that I'm sure. He probably hid his weak spot thinking no one can find it."

     "Right. He may be crazy, but he's a genius still."

     Gallows and Maya shot out at Botan who took the bullets and kept on moving for Geranium slowly. No response from him. "I don't think these work."

     "Use your doll then." Thorn brought up.

     "Doll." Maya giggles.

     "Look here." He pulls out his doll that looked a lot like a snowman, not that any of them ever saw one. He shot out a blast of cool air that froze some of Botan's vines.

     "Use your Arm." Thorn looks to Maya.

     Maya shoots out a fair share of rounds that shatter that vine and allow them to see behind the vines. Jet over on the cliff sees the same and nudges Clive. "There! Inside there's some sort of central system. His body and all." AS Clive goes to fire there he finds that the removed vines already had new ones in place. "Damn. We need to get another chance like that."

     "Then go tell them to do it again." Clive mutters. Jet stands and runs down the cliff-face in a near straight run to the ground. There he gathers a breath and runs to Gallows.

     "Hey! Do that again." He shouts as he catches up to them. Too bad that was when Botan threw his vine at all four. Just as Thorn was to be hit Jet pushed her aside as a rock shot up from the ground and took the attack shattering about them. He lied in the dirt in exhaustion from the run.

     Thorn stared at him. "You saved me? I could have taken it."

     "But, you don't know if you could." Jet mumbled. "Gallows! Clive needs another chance to shoot Botan again. Do the same thing over." He demands.

     Gallows nods and takes his doll and Maya get ready to shoot, Botan learns fast. His large vine separates into many and knock the doll aside and hit Maya away. Gallows draw his Arm and fires to no avail. The rest went to hit Maya again, but Jet took those as they hit his body and returned to Botan.

     "Damn, when will the vines leave me alone." He mutters as Maya helps him up.

     "Thanks." She says with conviction.

     "I don't need it."

     Gallows moved for his doll, but Botan sent another vine to squash it and break it. Gallows stood in anger forming a fist. He liked that thing.

     Virginia showed up. "Nothing's working!"

     "We saw that." Maya groans.

     "Your arcana." Jet says to get everyone's attention. "We may," He's stopped as many vines grew over his body and caused him to fall to the ground.

     "Jet!" Virginia ran to him while everyone looked and saw Botan rooting himself as he was preparing to destroy the town.

     "I, knew he was going to, to do this." Jet stood halfway bearing the pain with a grin and sweat. "Listen, I can stop him."

     "How?"

     "Use, use cremate, on me."

     "No." Virginia responded hastily.

     "Just, do it." Jet moans. "Do it, or give the rune to someone who will."

     "Why? I, don't want to hurt you."

     "Listen, it, won't, hurt me too, badly." Jet said through all his gasps of pain. There was a vine all over his body. Legs, arms, neck, face, back, chest. It hurt all over. "I, need, your help."

     She stepped back. "You do?"

     "I do."

     "O-okay," The words trembled from her lips. "Cremate!"

     The fire arcana lit Jet's entire body ablaze as his clothes and the vines caught fire. He said nothing. Let no utter of pain escape. He just clenched his teeth and went to work. He ran into Botan head-on ripping through the vines as they became burnt and died. E kept running into Botan, but the fire was not enough. The vines regenerated themselves before he could get by. Botan was hurt, he was slower, but the vines were still starting to come back.

     It was that moment that a man appeared on the vines that were coming back. Todd to be exact. A new sword in hand found in town made of a strong steel. With it heated by a fire back in town he slashed at the vines that tried to regenerate themselves.

     Finally Jet made it into the center and collapsed to the ground. He could do no more, which is why Clive fired at that moment.

     All around him Botan collapsed and fell on Jet. Botan was being torn apart literally as the antidote took affect separating his human from the plant, but, it was too late. The plant and the human were the same. After it was all said and done the battlefield was covered in leafs and nothing else. No Botan. He no longer lived.

     As soon as it quieted Virginia ran into the leaves in search of Jet. Todd was as well since he was closest when Botan died.

     Thorn stood quietly. Clive approached as Gallows turned to him. "Good job."

     "Heh. It was teamwork." Clive laughs.

     Gallows turns to Thorn and hugs her, but gets no hug back. He looks at her face as he lets go. "Thorn?"

     She looks to Clive. "That antidote of yours." She pulls out the second syringe. "This is the last one right?"

     "You lied to us?" Clive wondered.

     "I," She looks to Gallows. "It works on plant-type hybrids like my brother. It works on human-type like my father. Does it work on one who is neither?"

     "You plan on using it?" Clive mutters as Maya looks to them.

     "You, could die." Gallows whispers with emotion in his throat.

     "I, wasn't meant to live."

     "You aren't like the others! You can live just fine in our world! Please, don't." Gallows pleads.

     "This, this will kill any plant in me, right? I know I can die, but, that's a risk I have to take if I want to be human."

     "I don't want to lose you Thorn." Gallows mutters.

     "You won't. I'm in your heart right? You said you loved me. I'm in your mind as well. I know, because you are in mine." She closes her eyes. No tears now.

     "Please don't."

     "If I live through this, I was meant to live." She states as she removes the cap and inject herself with all of the antidote.

     Maya looks on intensely. "Anything?"

     "It's not working ye-No, it is…" She falls only to be aught by Gallows. Clive comes to them both and checks her arm.

     "She has a pulse. The problem is, that it doesn't work the same in her as in Botan and the others. With Botan it would kill him, but in the others it turned them to plants again. In her, it could easily make her either die, remain in a coma, or live with no special anything Botan had made her to be." Clive evaluates.

     "We'll, we'll leave her here then." Gallows puts on a strong front, but his voice waivers. "No point in lugging her around. We can, come around all the time and see her when we're not on the run."

     "Yeah, of course." Clive replies as he stands.

     "Clive, can I be with her alone until we have to leave?" Gallows questions.

     "Yeah. You can."

     "Jet!" Clive and Maya look to the battlefield as Virginia hugs a dark figure. Jet. His hair was silver after all. Not too badly burned either. The vines and clothes took most of it anyway. He liked his poncho and shirt and all. At least his pants were still on he sighed. "Never, never, do that again!" She reprimanded him as she tightened her hug.

     "Uh, that hurts y'know." She jumps back in apology.

     "I'm so sorry!"

     "Can, I get some water on me." He pleads.

     "Yeah, uh, Todd help me get him back to town."

     As pieces of Botan lifted into the wind the group went back for Geranium. No one said much about anything. Gallows teased Jet because he had holes in his pants and everyone saw his underwear. Jet showed that though burned red and tired her could still beat down on Gallows. Todd polished his new sword. Clive was getting accommodations for Thorn with the mayor. Everything seemed fine tonight. But, who knows what tomorrow will bring.


	11. Chapter Ten

**¡OVERGROWN!**

**DISCLAIMER:** I OWN THE THREE GAMES. I WANT THE REVAMP OF THE FIRST COMING OUT. I HAVE THE ENTIRE SERIES. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO I OWN THE RIGHTS TO WA.

**A/N: It's been fun rewriting this story as one for Wild Arms 3, too bad it's done. Well, here's just the epilogue that will close things. Nothing more than that. Thanks you all for your reviews.**

                Gallows sat near to the bed in the nearby doctor's home. In it was Thorn in a coma sleep. He just sat there really. Not doing anything more. The most he would do was look, but he hated that because it led to thinking about stuff he had not wanted to yet.

     He finally sucks that up and stands. "Goodbye, Thorn."

And he leaves the room. The group was planning to leave soon and he had to pack.

     It was Virginia that was making the group remain in town as it is. Gallows wanted to leave so maybe he could forget it all. Clive was wanting to go back home to his family. Jet was, he was just eager to get out of there. Virginia had decided that Jet needed more time, and so did Gallows with Thorn and knew Clive might have more looking into the background on everything that occurred. It was this one time that she actually acted wrong, but hey, no one mentioned that they really wanted to leave despite what she had said that morning.

     That was what found Virginia in the Inn's kitchen. The owner was not around, but had offer the use of the kitchen while he was away. While Jet was sleeping in and Gallows was out as well as Clive she saw it a perfect time to get in there.

     She slaved over the stove fixing up a good roast marinated with heal berries and when it was done, ran upstairs. She came to the door, and breathed in. She sighed and stood for a moment. Then she went to work making sure her outfit was pristine even though she had been at work in the kitchen. She fixed her hair a bit and finally went in the room. Jet was throwing a ball against the wall.

     "What do you want?" He asked annoyed she interrupted his count.

     "Well, I thought that you'd be hungry since it is time for lunch." She places the food on the table by the window that Jet had put when he rearranged the room to play.

     "Uh, what is that?" He poked at the roast in worry. What sort of foul beast did she kill? He hoped she did not say it was a cake or anything next. He was sure that it was at least meat.

     "Huh?" She smiled sweetly while beginning to sneer inside.

     He catches her hidden glare. "Oh, uh, I mean," He laughs if he can. He's trying to fake it, and it's not sounding all too good. He never laughed much. "Of course I know what it is. I was just joking."

     She calms herself. "Look, I wasn't raised to cook. I was always more interested in my Arms and my father."

     "It, at least looks, edible, somewhat." She taps him on the head with the butt of a fork.

     "You have a way of giving bad compliments."

     "Look, I'll eat it." He stares at it. "I'll eat it if,"

     "If?"

     "You,"

     "I. What? If I what?"

     "Never cook again."

     And her slowly crescendo of happiness becomes a case of the crestfallen. "What?" She shouts.

     "I, er," He looks to the fork and swipes it before he gets hit with the side he does not want touching him. He moves and scoops a piece of the meat and eats it. He smirks. Only due to the fact it tastes like a huge joke of a food item. Truthfully, he was waiting for her to look away to spit it out the window. She did for a moment and he did out the window. A shout of disgust from below. Poor Todd and his magnet-like afro that drew in all disgusting things from mouths as it passed windows.

     "Did you hear something?" Virginia looks to Jet.

     "Uh, my stomach."

     She shoves the plate forward. "Then eat up. I'll be right back with a biscuit." She runs off for downstairs.

     What should he do? Eat it? No, even the horse they ate on the way here tasted better. And that was all stringy and tough to eat. Garbage? She'd see it there. The window? His luck it would be another person. Eat it? No. Then he saw it. A small plant in the corner that was brought by the research staff in the ruins to the mayor a while back. No. It was a good idea, but Jet had wanted nothing to do with a plant for awhile. He looks to the food. Eat it? He did.

     Guardians save him…

     "Oh, Virginia," Todd and Maya came into the kitchen. Todd went to throwing some food in the trash. "We're going to be leaving. Thought we'd give you a heads-up."

     "Right," Maya grinned. "Our truce is over now, so when you next meet Todd and the rest of the gang you'll be up to trouble."

     "I'll look forward to it." Virginia smirks.

     "Well, c'ya." Maya darts out and Todd follows. She looks to the trash. A piece of the meat she gave Jet. She broke the biscuit.

     Clive stood on what was lefty of the ruins surveying the scene as Gallows walks up.

     "What brings you here?" Clive wonders.

     "I, needed to clear my head." Gallows admits.

     "Listen, I'm going to look into this." Clive shows him a  collection of files in folders. "These are the files that talk all about what he did. Botan."

     "What are you going to do with them?"

     "His research became misguided, but it started right. Maybe I can try to salvage some of it."

     "Wouldn't you be just like him then?" Gallows sneered.

     "No, I have something he didn't."

     "What's that?" Gallows looked confused.

     "I have friends. Family. Friends who, are like family." He fixes his glasses. "Besides, I hope to use this research along with what the antidote I made to find a way to, help Thorn."

     Gallows stands at that and grasps the sniper's shoulders. "Really? If you need any help, I'm there."

     "I would think so."

     Gallows bear-hugs the man. "Thanks."

     Clive wheezes. "No, problem."

     The door opened. Jet was recovering from the meat, but was now scared to think about the biscuit. He waited too. The door took longer to open than he would have thought.

     "Virginia?" He wonders.

     She finally pokes her head in. "You, finished the meal?" She looks to the garbage. No food there. The plant. No food. Anywhere else in the room. None.

     "Uh, yeah. It was, interesting." He felt it come up a bit.

     She solemnly moves to the window and leans out trying to not look like she's looking. Nothing. "Really?"

     "Ate every bit. Uh, so, no biscuit?" He felt joy for the first time in a long time.

     "It, broke."

     "What's wrong?" He was taken aback when he realized he actually asked her. He was only thinking it. He did not want to say it.

     "I, did you really eat it?" She looks to him sadly.

     "Every, bite."

     "Then why did Todd throw a bite size into the kitchen garbage?"

     "I, okay, not EVERY bite, but all the rest."

     "So, did you really eat it all?"

     "Yeah. Aside from the first bite I spat out onto Todd."

     She does not believe him. Maybe he got rid of the food another way. "Where'd you hid it?"

     "Where?"

     "What did you do with the food? I know you didn't eat it."

     "How, would you even know if I was lying?" He wonders.

     "You're, not acting usual Jet so I can only guess you are."

     Great. When he lies she believes him, and the truth is a lie. "I did eat it though."

     "Just tell me where it is."  
     "What do I have to do to get you to believe me?" He argues.

     She stares at him. "Kiss me."

     "What?" He looks to the window. How far was it to the ground? Could he make it? Probably at the right point and landing.

     "If you ate it, you'd taste it." She stammered. She was ashamed of her bold side as well.

     "Pheh." He turns away with folded arms. "Whatever, I don't need you to believe if I ate it or not." He argues. "I'm going to go get drunk or something."

     "Wait," She grabs his wrist.

     He looks away from her. "Let go."

     "Don't tell Gallows or Clive."

     "Like I ever say anything to them." He leaves the room and the door shuts.

     "That was, so stupid of me." She admits as she sits on the bed.

     The door slams back open. "Look here! I did eat that junk. It was horrible, but it still filled me up well." Jet berates. He leans over her. "I wouldn't mind it again if you got a bit better." He moves forward and takes her lips. Tastes way better than the meat.

     Then he stepped back. She stared at him not recovering just yet from what just happened. "Okay, I guess it does taste bad."

     "It was better on the second bite." Jet nonchalantly states. Too bad that's when it decided to be tasted by him again as he ran to the window and let go of the lunch. On Todd.

     Jet stares at the man. He stares back as the bile runs down his chin and clouds his glasses. "I, forgot my sword." The afro-headed man replies coolly.

THE END


End file.
